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Soccer official with Iranian ties says he is shocked national team won't play in B.C.

The Iran national soccer team will play all of its three games in the United States, this report was first published Dec. 7, 2025 by Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press.
The U.S. administration this month suspended visa applications from Iran and 18 other mainly Islamic countries, requiring Iranian permanent residents of Canada to apply for United States visas, complicating travel.
Having attended every World Cup since 1998, Babak Shabazi hasn't bought tickets but says there's a `good chance` he'll watch a match in Greater Los Angeles on June 15 or June 21, and he hopes FIFA will influence the U.S. administration.
In Metro Vancouver, figures from the 2021 Census peg the Iranian-Canadian population at around 45,000, and many soccer fans, including Babak Shabazi, were left disappointed without a local World Cup match next year.
Community leaders say Babak Shabazi and B.C.'s Iranian community were `shocked` and worried about travelling to the United States next year, though Shabazi hopes to attend matches in Seattle and Greater Los Angeles.

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Winnipeg Free Press

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Soccer official with Iranian ties says he is shocked national team won't play in B.C.

Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada

18 hours ago·Winnipeg, Canada

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castanet.net

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Soccer official with Iranian ties says he is shocked national team won't play in B.C. (BC)

Babak Shabazi says he and others in B.C.'s Iranian community were "shocked" when he saw that Iran's national soccer team won't play in Vancouver during the next year's World Cup, and many are worried about travelling to the United States to see their favourite team because of political ten...

19 hours ago·Kelowna, Canada

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